Providing kiosk service offerings in a personal area network

ABSTRACT

A method for delivering electronic services in a personal area network (PAN) can include providing a kiosk in a publicly traversable area. The kiosk can be configured to deliver electronic services over short-range radio communications links to wireless devices in a personal area network (PAN). The kiosk also can be configured to communicate over an existing physical communications link medium. A PAN can be established in the publicly traversable area. Electronic services can be selectably retrieved through the existing physical communications link medium into the kiosk. Finally, the retrieved selected electronic services can be delivered to wireless devices in the PAN over the short-range radio communications link. Notably, the step of establishing a PAN in the publicly traversable area can include establishing a BLUETOOTH-based PAN with wireless devices in the publicly traversable area. In addition, the step of providing a kiosk first can include retrofitting an existing kiosk both with a short-range radio frequency communications system, and with a host computing device for selectively retrieving electronic services over the existing physical communications link medium, and for delivering selected electronic services to the wireless devices in the PAN. Second, the retrofitted kiosk can be activated in the publicly traversable area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of personal area networkingand more particularly to a system and method for providing kiosk serviceofferings in a personal area network.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In recent times, the Internet has experienced phenomenal growthwith more and more people accessing data and applications on theInternet through personal computers, and more recently, networkcomputers. Historically, computing applications have been distributed asshrink-wrapped client applications. More recently, however, businesseshave invested in Internet-distributed, Web-based applications, forinstance Web-based customer relationship management (CRM) applications.An application service provider (ASP) is an entity that offersindividuals and companies access to applications and related servicesover the Internet that would otherwise have to be located in their ownpersonal or enterprise computers. Sometimes referred to as“apps-on-tap,” ASP services are an important alternative, not only forsmaller companies with low budgets for information technology, but alsofor larger companies as a form of outsourcing.

[0005] While ASPs can provide applications and services to enterprisesand individuals on a pay-per-use or subscription basis, larger entitiesprovide their own internal ASP service moving applications off personalcomputers and installing the applications on an application serverdesigned to communicate with thin-client workstations. By employing anASP architecture, enterprises can reassert central control overapplication cost and usage similar to the central control experience byenterprises prior to the advent of the personal computer during the eraof the mainframe computer.

[0006] To date, the ASP architecture has not been employed as widely inthe wireless arena as it has in the wire-line arena. Specifically,whereas client access to distributable applications is growing amongtraditional wire-line networked clients, client access has been limitedfor wireless devices, such as handheld computers. Recently, pervasivecomputing has suggested the distribution of data to wireless devicesusing conventional infrared communications technology. In terms ofwire-bound, cable replacement, the infrared standard promulgated by theInfrared Data Association (IRDA) is well known and widespread. Thoughthe IRDA promulgated standard is a fast wireless technology, the IRDApromulgated standard is limited to point-to-point connections and aboveall, infrared communications require a clear line-of-sight between aninfrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. Additionally, infraredcommunication technologies have experienced problems with incompatiblestandard implementations.

[0007] Recently, wireless phone service providers also have begun toprovide wireless access to Internet distributed data through cellularcommunications links. Still, long-range radio communication technologieslike cellular communications links can be expensive and power-consuming.Moreover, cellular transmitters and receivers require device housingspace which can dramatically add to the overall size of a wirelessdevice. Finally, long-range radio communications links can be limited inbandwidth. Hence, cellular technologies are not suitable for thedistribution of applications from an ASP to pervasive computing devicessuch as handheld computers.

[0008] A new type of wireless connection has been introduced into thewireless market. Emerging standards for personal area networks (PANs),for instance the BLUETOOTH (TM) standard, enjoys a communicationsprofile which is substantially different than the communications profileassociated with cellular networks and infrared technologies. Inparticular, unlike cellular networks, PANs operate over a very limitedlocal range. As an example, BLUETOOTH operates in “piconets” having anormal range of ten (10) meters and a maximum range of approximatelyone-hundred (100) meters. Accordingly, short-range radio communicationlinks lack the deficiencies of both infrared and cellular technologieswhich have limited the distribution of electronic services such asapplications and data over wireless communications links.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a system and method for providingelectronic services such as applications and data to wireless devices ina personal area network (PAN) via a kiosk. The invention incorporatesservice discovery protocols and short-range radio communications toallow wireless devices entering the PAN to identify the kiosk andrequest therefrom selected electronic services. In consequence,electronic services can be delivered to a wide variety of wirelessdevices without consuming substantial system resources and networkbandwidth. Additionally, heretofore single-purpose existing kiosks, suchas payphones, ticket counters and gasoline station islands, can beextended to offer new electronic services thereby adding value to theseexisting kiosks.

[0010] A method for providing kiosk service offerings can includeseveral steps. First, a kiosk can be configured to provide electronicservices over short-range radio communications links to wireless devicesin a personal area network (PAN). In particular, in one aspect of thepresent invention, the configuring step can include retrofitting anexisting kiosk both with a short-range radio frequency communicationssystem, and with a host computing device for selectively retrievingelectronic services over the existing physical communications linkmedium, and for delivering selected electronic services to the wirelessdevices in the PAN. The kiosk also can be configured to communicate overan existing physical communications link medium. For instance, theexisting physical communications link medium can be one of a telephonenetwork communications link and a data communications link. Second, ashort-range radio communications link can be established with a wirelessdevice in the PAN. In one aspect of the invention, the short-range radiocommunications link can be a BLUETOOTH-based communications link. Third,selected electronic services can be retrieved over the existing physicalcommunications link medium. Finally, the retrieved selected electronicservices can be delivered to the wireless device in the PAN over theshort-range radio communications link.

[0011] The step of retrieving specified electronic services over theexisting communications network can include retrieving electronicmessages from an electronic mail server communicatively linked to thekiosk over the existing physical communications link medium. Inconsequence, the step of delivering the retrieved specified electronicservices to the wireless device in the PAN over the short-range radiocommunications link can include delivering the retrieved electronic mailto an electronic mail client in the wireless device. By comparison, thestep of retrieving specified electronic services over the existingphysical communications link medium can include retrieving anapplication from an application service provider (ASP) communicativelylinked to the kiosk over the existing physical communications linkmedium. Accordingly, the step of delivering the retrieved specifiedelectronic services to the wireless device in the PAN over theshort-range radio communications link can include delivering theretrieved application for execution in the wireless device.

[0012] Importantly, the method of the invention can additionally includethe steps of determining if the specified electronic services whollyreside in the kiosk; and, if it is determined that the specifiedelectronic services wholly reside in the kiosk, delivering the specifiedelectronic services to the wireless device in the PAN without retrievingthe specified electronic services over the existing physicalcommunications link medium. Also, it can be determined if components ofthe specified electronic services reside in the kiosk. Subsequently, thecomponents determined to reside in the kiosk can be delivered to thewireless device while components not residing in the kiosk can beretrieved from over the existing physical communications link medium.Advantageously, the step of delivering the retrieved specifiedelectronic services to the wireless device in the PAN over theshort-range radio communications link can include delivering retrievedcomponents of the specified electronic services to the wireless devicewhile retrieving remaining components of the specified electronicservices.

[0013] A kiosk for distributing electronic services to wireless devicesin a PAN can include a kiosk configured to communicate with acommunications network over an existing physical communications linkmedium; a network communications client for communicating with serversin the communications network; a short-range radio communications systemfor communicating with wireless devices in the PAN; and, a list ofelectronic services which can be distributed to wireless devices in thePAN, the electronics services in the list residing locally in the kioskand remotely in the servers in the communications network. Notably, theshort-range radio communications system can include a short-range radiocommunications system configured in accordance with BLUETOOTHspecifications. In addition, the kiosk can be a public telephone, agasoline station island, an airline check-in desk, a ticketing booth, aretail check-out counter, a toll booth, or an automatic teller machine.The physical communications link medium can be a telephone networkcommunications link or a data communications link. Moreover, the servercan be an application server. Finally, the communications network can bean Internet.

[0014] A method for delivering electronic services in a personal areanetwork (PAN) can include providing a kiosk in a publicly traversablearea. The kiosk can be configured to deliver electronic services overshort-range radio communications links to wireless devices in a personalarea network (PAN). The kiosk also can be configured to communicate overan existing physical communications link medium. A PAN can beestablished in the publicly traversable area. Electronic services can beselectably retrieved through the existing physical communications linkmedium into the kiosk. Finally, the retrieved selected electronicservices can be delivered to wireless devices in the PAN over theshort-range radio communications link. Notably, the step of establishinga PAN in the publicly traversable area can include establishing aBLUETOOTH-based PAN with wireless devices in the publicly traversablearea. In addition, the step of providing a kiosk first can includeretrofitting an existing kiosk both with a short-range radio frequencycommunications system, and with a host computing device for selectivelyretrieving electronic services over the existing physical communicationslink medium, and for delivering selected electronic services to thewireless devices in the PAN. Second, the retrofitted kiosk can beactivated in the publicly traversable area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] There are presently shown in the drawings embodiments which arepresently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention isnot limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system forproviding kiosk service offerings in a PAN.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a device enabled forshort-range radio communications in the PAN of FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an architecture suitable for use in the device of FIG.2.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a process for receivingdistributed electronic services in a PAN via a PAN-configured kiosk.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a process for distributingelectronic services from an application service provider in acommunications network to a wireless device in a PAN via aPAN-configured kiosk.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The present invention is a system and method for providing kioskservice offerings in a personal area network (PAN). More specifically, akiosk, for example a public telephone, a gasoline station island, anairline check-in desk, a ticketing booth, a retail check-out counter, atoll booth, or an automatic teller machine, can be configured with ashort-range radio communications system for transmitting and receivingdata wirelessly in a PAN. Notably, the kiosk can be communicativelylinked to an existing communications network. The kiosk can establishshort-range radio communications links with wireless devices which enterthe PAN. Once a short-range radio communications link has beenestablished with the wireless device, the kiosk can retrieve over theexisting communications network selected electronic services such asapplications and data. The kiosk, in turn, can transmit the retrievedselected electronic services to the wireless device in the PAN over theshort-range radio communications link.

[0022]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system forproviding kiosk service offerings in a PAN. As shown in FIG. 1, thesystem can include both a PAN 130 and an existing communications network110, for example the Internet. The existing communications network 110can include a plurality of servers 120 which can distribute electronicservices such as data and applications to requesting clients. Theelectronic services can be stored in network storage 125. Notably, whileFIG. 1 depicts network storage 125 as an entity positioned closely tothe servers 120, the invention is not limited in this regard and thenetwork storage 125 can be positioned elsewhere in the communicationsnetwork from where the network storage 125 can be remotely accessed bythe servers 120. Importantly, the servers 120 can be application serversor data servers.

[0023] In accordance with the inventive arrangements, a kiosk 100 can becommunicatively linked to the communications network 110. In particular,the kiosk 100 can be linked through wireline means, for example a T-1 orDSL communications link, or wirelessly through cellular or other radiofrequency (RF) means. In accordance with the inventive arrangements, thekiosk 100 can be any self-contained structure, such as a publictelephone, a gasoline station island, an airline check-in desk, aticketing booth, a retail check-out counter, a toll booth, or anautomatic teller machine. Advantageously, typical kiosks include accessto communications networks such as a public switched telephone network(PSTN) via communications links through which the communications network110 can be accessed.

[0024] The kiosk 100 can be configured with short a range radiofrequency system with which the kiosk 100 can participate in the PAN130. By participate, it is meant that the kiosk 100 can detectPAN-enabled devices 140 geographically proximate to the kiosk 100 withwhich the kiosk 100 can establish a communications connection over whichthe kiosk 100 can transmit and receive data. Typically, the geographicproximity between two communicating devices in the PAN 130 does notexceed 100 meters, although the invention is not limited to the precisecommunications characteristics of the short-range radio frequencycommunications system used to establish the PAN 130. Rather, the presentinvention contemplates the characteristics of any suitable short-rangeradio frequency communications system with which the PAN 130 can beestablished.

[0025] The kiosk 100 can be PAN-enabled by including with the kiosk 100a host device configured for short-range radio communications in the PAN130. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a host device 200configured for short-range radio communications in the PAN 130 ofFIG. 1. The host device 200 can include a central processing unit (CPU)205, memory 210A, 210B, a display interface 215A and correspondingdisplay 215B, an input/output (I/O) interface 230 and input device 240.As shown in the figure, in one aspect of the present invention memory210A can be volatile, random access memory (RAM). Similarly, memory 210Bcan be non-volatile, read-only memory. The display controller 215A canbe any controller suitable for presenting data visually through thedisplay 215B. The display 215B can be any conventional display such asan LCD, monitor, etc. The I/O interface 230 can be any suitableinterface for receiving or transmitting data to and from the host device200. Examples of I/O interfaces can include a serial interface,universal serial bus (USB) port, infrared port, fire-wire port, etc.Finally, the input device 240 can be any suitable device for providinguser input for the device 200. Examples of input devices can include akeyboard, microphone, pointing device, touch-screen, etc.

[0026] Each of the CPU 205, memory 210A, 210B, display interface 215Aand corresponding display 215B, I/O interface 230 and input device 240can be arranged conventionally as is the case with conventionalcomputers. In particular, each of the CPU 205, memory 210A, 210B,display interface 215A and corresponding display 215B, I/O interface 230and input device 240 can be communicatively linked through bus 220.Notwithstanding, the invention is not limited either in regard to theparticular conventional computing components which comprise the hostdevice 200, or the particular arrangement of the conventional computingcomponents. Rather, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, thehost device 200 configuration is limited only inasmuch as the hostdevice 200 must include a short range radio communications system 250.

[0027] The short range radio communications system 250 can include ananalog short range radio 280 and a digital host controller 255, 270. Thehost controller 255, 270 can include a host interface (HI) 255 and alink manager (LM) 270. The LM 270 can include a digital signal processorreferred to as a link controller (LC) 275 and a CPU core 265. The HI 255can also include the CPU core 265 and an external interface 260 to thebus 220 of the host device 200. The LC 275 consists of circuitry andfirmware which can perform baseband processing and physical layerprotocols such as ARQ protocol and FEC coding. The function of the LC275 includes asynchronous data transfers, synchronous data transfers,and optionally, audio coding and encryption. The CPU core 265 can beprogrammed to handle inquiries and filter page requests withoutinvolving the host device 200. Specifically, the host controller 255,270 can be programmed to answer certain page messages and authenticateremote links. The LM 270 executes on the CPU core 265. The LM discoversother LMs and communicates with them via a link manager protocol (LMP)to perform its service provider role and to use the services of theunderlying LC.

[0028] A short range radio communications system in one aspect of thepresent invention can be implemented using standard Bluetooth™ wirelesstechnology as described in Riku Mettala, Bluetooth Protocol ArchitectureVersion 1.0, Nokia Mobile Phones, (1999) and 1 Specification of theBluetooth System Wireless Connections Made Easy, Bluetooth SIG (1999),both incorporated herein by reference. Bluetooth is a low-cost,low-power, short-range radio link for mobile devices and for WAN/LANaccess points. Bluetooth offers fast and reliable digital transmissionsof both voice and data over the globally available 2.4 GHz ISM(Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band. The Bluetooth specificationdefines a short (around 10 m) or optionally a medium range (around 100m) radio link capable of voice or data transmission up to a maximumcapacity of 720 Kb/s per channel. Radio frequency (RF) operation is inthe un-licensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band at 2.4 to2.48 GHz, using a spread is spectrum, frequency hopping, full-duplexsignal at up to 1600 hops/sec. The signal hops among seventy-nine (79)frequencies at 1 MHz intervals to give a high degree of interferenceimmunity. RF output is specified as 0 dBm (1 mW) in the 10 m-rangeversion and −30 to +20 dBm (100 mW) in the longer range version.

[0029] Bluetooth enabled devices which come within range of each othercan establish an ad hoc point-to-point and/or point-to-multipointconnections. Bluetooth enabled devices dynamically can be added to orremoved from a PAN. Notably, two or more Bluetooth enabled units whichshare a channel form a piconet. Several piconets can be established andlinked together in ad hoc “scatternets” to allow communication and dataexchange in flexible configurations. If several other piconets arewithin range, each can operate independently while maintaining access tothe full bandwidth of the scatternet. Each piconet is established by adifferent frequency hopping channel. All users participating on the samepiconet are synchronized to this channel. Notably, unlike infrareddevices, Bluetooth enabled devices are not limited to line-of-sightcommunication.

[0030]FIG. 3 illustrates a short range radio communications architecture300 suitable for use in the device of FIG. 2. The architecture 300 caninclude radio communications device based low level baseband services322 and host device-based high level protocols 324 through whichexternal host computing applications 320 can communicate using standardcommunications protocols 318 such as TCP/IP or UDP/IP with other devicesin the PAN. Notably, in order to facilitate compatibility betweendifferent hardware implementations associated with the low levelbaseband services 322, a host controller interface (HCI) 306 can be usedas a common interface between the host computing device and the radiocommunications system core. Higher level protocols like the servicediscovery protocol (SDP) 314, RFCOMM 316 (emulating a serial portconnection) and the Telephony Control protocol (TCS) 312 are interfacedto the low level baseband services 322 via a logical link control andadaptation protocol (L2CAP) 308. Notably, the SDP 314 allowsapplications to find out about available services and theircharacteristics when devices are moved or switched off. Among the tasksassociated with L2CAP 308, L2CAP 308 can perform the segmentation andreassembly of data to allow larger data packets to be carried over ashort range radio communications baseband connection.

[0031] The host device 200 as configured in FIG. 2 with the short rangeradio communications system 250 and having the architecture of FIG. 3can be included as both as part of a PAN-enabled kiosk such as kiosk 100of FIG. 1, and as part of a PAN-enabled device such as the PAN-enableddevice 140 of FIG. 1. Exemplary PAN-enabled devices which can beconfigured to operate with a short range radio communications system 250as shown in FIG. 2 can include personal digital assistants (PDAs),cellular phones, handheld computers, laptop/notebook computers,wristwatches, etc. In contrast, where a kiosk includes the conventionalcomputing components shown as included in the host device 200 of FIG. 2,a short range radio communications system 250 can be directly connectedto a computing device in the kiosk 100 wherein suitable higher levelprotocols for driving the short range radio communications system 250are installed in the computing device. Alternatively, a standalonepre-configured computing device can be added to the kiosk 100 andcommunicatively linked to existing communications network links residingin the kiosk 100.

[0032] Referring back to FIG. 1, in operation a kiosk 100 can beconfigured with a short range radio communications system so as toparticipate in the PAN 130 as an electronic service provider. When aPAN-enabled device 140, such as a Bluetooth enabled PDA enters thepiconet formed by the PAN 130, the PAN-enabled device can retrieve alist of available electronic services from the kiosk 100. Electronicservices can include, but are not limited to distributed applicationsand data, for example electronic mail, sports scores, and stock prices.One or more particular electronic services can be selected in thePAN-enabled device 140 responsive to which the kiosk 100 can distributethe selected electronic services to the device 140. If, however, thekiosk 100 does not have locally stored therein a selected electronicservice, the kiosk 100 can request the missing service from an server120 in the existing communications network 110. Upon receipt of themissing service from the appropriate server 120, the kiosk 100 canforward the service to the PAN-enabled device 140 in the PAN 130.

[0033]FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a process performed in aPAN-enabled device for receiving distributed electronic services in aPAN via a PAN-enabled kiosk. Beginning in step 402, a PAN-enabled deviceentering a PAN can electronically detect the presence of the PAN using,for example conventional service discovery protocols. Service discoveryprotocols are well-known in the art and provide devices in ad hocpeer-to-peer networks to dynamically discover devices and services. Assuch, service discovery architectures enable self-configuring dynamicnetworks by providing a standard method for applications, services anddevices to describe and to advertise their capabilities to otherapplications, services and devices and to discover their capabilities.Service discovery architectures also enable applications, services anddevices to search other applications, services or devices for aparticular capability, and to request and establish interoperablesessions with them to utilize those capabilities.

[0034] Returning now to FIG. 4, in step 404, the device can determinewhether to connect to or ignore the PAN. Specifically, the connectiondetermination can be performed by a user, or by the device automaticallybased on pre-configured selections such as “connect to all PANs” or“connect to the following PANs only”. If, in step 404 the device choosesto connect to the PAN, in step 406 the device can undertake andauthentication process prior to connection during which process thedevice can be recognized as a legitimate PAN client and associated witha unique identifier through which other devices in the PAN can recognizeand communicate with the PAN-enabled device.

[0035] Once connected, in step 408, the PAN-enabled device can identifythe PAN-enabled existing kiosk and can query the kiosk for availableelectronic services. Alternatively, upon detecting the presence of thePAN-enabled device, the kiosk can automatically transmit a list ofavailable electronic services to the PAN-enabled device. If in step 410one or more electronic services are selected, either automatically bythe PAN-enabled device, or manually by the user, in step 412 theselected services can be downloaded to the PAN-enabled device from thekiosk. Notably, even if no services are selected in step 410, so long asthe PAN-enabled device remains in the piconet formed by the PAN, thelist of available services can be accessed.

[0036] By comparison, upon detecting a PAN-enabled device, a kioskretrofitted in accordance with the inventive arrangements can undertakethe process illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating aprocess for distributing electronic services from an application serviceprovider in a communications network to a wireless device in a PAN viathe retrofitted kiosk. Beginning in step 502, the kiosk can detect thepresence of a PAN-enabled device using, for example conventional servicediscovery protocols. In step 504, it can be determined if the detecteddevice is a valid subscriber to electronic services offered by thekiosk. If the detected device is not a valid subscriber, the kiosk canprompt the user of the device for pay-per-use payment in step 508.Alternatively, the kiosk can prompt the user of the device to registerfor a subscription. Moreover, the kiosk can provide to the device alimited trial period subscription. In any case, the invention is notlimited in regard to the precise business model for providing access toservices provided by the kiosk.

[0037] If in step 510 payment is received, or if in step 504 the deviceis determined to be a subscriber device, in step 506 it can bedetermined whether the detected device has associated therewith apre-configured default electronic service. If not, in step 512 the kioskcan provide to the device a list of available services. The list can becomputed based on any number of factors, for example all availableservices, or a limited selection based on prioritization, perceivedvalue, or advertising revenue, historical transaction statistics, deviceand network resources, or a pre-configuration. In step 514, if one ormore services has been selected, or if a default service is selected, instep 516 the kiosk can determine whether the complete electronic serviceis available locally in the kiosk, or whether one or more components ofthe electronic service must be retrieved from an ASP in the existingcommunications network.

[0038] If the kiosk is able to locally retrieve the entire selectedelectronic service, in step 520 the kiosk can transmit to the detecteddevice the requested electronic service. Otherwise, if one or morecomponents of the selected electronic service are not available locallyin the kiosk, the kiosk can determine a suitable ASP from which theselected electronic service can be retrieved. Subsequently, in step 518,the kiosk can retrieve therefrom the requested electronic service.Importantly, in the case where some of the components of the electronicservice are present in the kiosk while other components of the requestedelectronic services must be retrieved from an ASP, the kiosk can begintransmission of the present components during the retrieval of theremaining components from the ASP. Likewise, as components are retrievedfrom the ASP, the retrieved components can be forwarded to the devicewhile the remaining components are retrieved. In this way, apparent andactual response times can be reduced.

[0039] Use of a kiosk configured in accordance with the inventivearrangements can permit casual use of applications by wireless devicesand can involve either downloading complete applications, for example acrossword puzzle game for carry away use, or can involve moretraditional ASP hosting of complex applications. Significantly, a kioskconfigured in accordance with the inventive arrangements can be used fortargeted service distribution, for example based on geography. Moreparticularly, depending on the nature and location of the kiosk,particular electronic services can be stored locally in the kiosk andthe kiosk can be configured to retrieve particular services fromcommunicatively linked servers. For example, in the case of an airportor train station ticket counter, travel related electronic services suchas airplane timetables, weather news, crossword puzzle programs andelectronic mail can be automatically or manually distributed totravelers entering an associated PAN with a PAN enabled device.Similarly, public payphones can provide electronic services such asmapping programs and restaurant guides to devices entering an associatedPAN.

[0040] While the foregoing specification illustrates and describes thepreferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction herein disclosed.The invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential attributes. Accordingly, reference shouldbe made to the following claims, rather than to the foregoingspecification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

1. A method for providing kiosk service offerings comprising:configuring a kiosk to provide electronic services over short-rangeradio communications links to wireless devices in a personal areanetwork (PAN), said kiosk also configured to communicate over anexisting physical communications link medium; establishing a short-rangeradio communications link with a wireless device in said PAN; retrievingselected electronic services over said existing physical communicationslink medium; and, delivering said retrieved selected electronic servicesto said wireless device in said PAN over said short-range radiocommunications link.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step ofestablishing a short-range radio communications link with said wirelessdevice in said PAN comprises: establishing a BLUETOOTH-basedcommunications link with said wireless device.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein said configuring step comprises: retrofitting an existing kioskboth with a short-range radio frequency communications system, and witha host computing device for selectively retrieving electronic servicesover said existing physical communications link medium, and fordelivering selected electronic services to said wireless devices in saidPAN.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said existing physicalcommunications link medium is selected from the group consisting of atelephone network communications link and a data communications link. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein said step of retrieving specifiedelectronic services over said existing communications network comprisesretrieving electronic messages from an electronic mail servercommunicatively linked to said kiosk over said existing physicalcommunications link medium.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said stepof retrieving specified electronic services over said existing physicalcommunications link medium comprises retrieving an application from anapplication service provider (ASP) communicatively linked to said kioskover said existing physical communications link medium.
 7. The method ofclaim 5, wherein said step of delivering said retrieved specifiedelectronic services to said wireless device in said PAN over saidshort-range radio communications link comprises delivering saidretrieved electronic mail to an electronic mail client in said wirelessdevice.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of delivering saidretrieved specified electronic services to said wireless device in saidPAN over said short-range radio communications link comprises deliveringsaid retrieved application for execution in said wireless device.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: determining if said specifiedelectronic services wholly reside in said kiosk; and, if it isdetermined that said specified electronic services wholly reside in saidkiosk, delivering said specified electronic services to said wirelessdevice in said PAN without retrieving said specified electronic servicesover said existing physical communications link medium.
 10. The methodof claim 9, further comprising: determining if components of saidspecified electronic services reside in said kiosk; and, delivering saidcomponents determined to reside in said kiosk to said wireless devicewhile retrieving components not residing in said kiosk over saidexisting physical communications link medium.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein said step of delivering said retrieved specified electronicservices to said wireless device in said PAN over said short-range radiocommunications link comprises delivering retrieved components of saidspecified electronic services to said wireless device while retrievingremaining components of said specified electronic services.
 12. A kioskfor distributing electronic services to wireless devices in a PANcomprising: a an kiosk configured to communicate with a communicationsnetwork over an existing physical communications link medium; a networkcommunications client for communicating with servers in saidcommunications network; a short-range radio communications system forcommunicating with wireless devices in the PAN; and, a list ofelectronic services which can be distributed to wireless devices in thePAN, said electronics services in said list residing locally in saidkiosk and remotely in said servers in said communications network. 13.The kiosk of claim 12, wherein said short-range radio communicationssystem comprises: a short-range radio communications system configuredin accordance with BLUETOOTH specifications.
 14. The kiosk of claim 12,wherein said kiosk is selected from the group consisting of a publictelephone, a gasoline station island, an airline check-in desk, aticketing booth, a retail check-out counter, a toll booth, and anautomatic teller machine.
 15. The kiosk of claim 12, wherein saidphysical communications link medium is selected from the groupconsisting of a telephone network communications link and a datacommunications link.
 16. The kiosk of claim 12, wherein said server isan application server.
 17. The kiosk of claim 12, wherein saidcommunications network is an Internet.
 18. A method for deliveringelectronic services in a personal area network (PAN) comprising:providing a kiosk in a publicly traversable area, said kiosk configuredto deliver electronic services over short-range radio communicationslinks to wireless devices in a personal area network (PAN), saidexisting kiosk also configured to communicate over an existing physicalcommunications link medium; establishing a PAN in said publiclytraversable area; selectably retrieving electronic services through saidexisting physical communications link medium into said kiosk; and,delivering said retrieved selected electronic services to wirelessdevices in said PAN over said short-range radio communications link. 19.The method of claim 18, wherein said step of establishing a PAN in saidpublicly traversable area comprises: establishing a BLUETOOTH-based PANwith wireless devices in said publicly traversable area.
 20. The methodof claim 18, wherein said step of providing a kiosk comprises:retrofitting an existing kiosk both with a short-range radio frequencycommunications system, and with a host computing device for selectivelyretrieving electronic services over said existing physicalcommunications link medium, and for delivering selected electronicservices to said wireless devices in said PAN; and, activating saidretrofitted kiosk in said publicly traversable area.